Vancouver by scooter???

[nausetms]

DH and I will be ending a Celebrity Alaska cruise in Vancouver. We're thinking of spending a day or two exploring the city. Hotel recommendations? Accessible transportation? Tell me about the city and your experiences: the good, the bad,the ugly and the fabulous.

[rascalrider]

Vancouver is easy to get around on your scooter. I scooted from the cruise terminal all the way to False Creek. The public buses are also wheelchair accessible. You might like to go to Stanley Park, Granville Island, Gas Light District, Sun Yat Sen Gardens, Steam Locomotive Museum, Chinatown. There is a bike path along the water and several other parks and sports arena. There is lots more there, butt this will give you a little to get you started.

[nausetms]

Thanks much for the information.

[kitty9]

Because of the Olympics, Vancouver is a very accessible city. When we were there for the Olympics, I was very pleasantly surprised by how accessible it was, including their public transportation. You should encounter very few problems.

[Putterdude]

Well Vancouver was accessible many years before the 2010 Winter Olympics. That said, you will find the streets very accessible, all public buildings are likewise as is public transportation. Unfortunately not all private tour operators can accommodate you and I am thinking more of the HOHO operators. Hotels, department stores and most restaurants will be a slam dunk.

[nausetms]

Do you have hotel recommendations? We'd rather "walk" to sightsee than take transportation.

[Putterdude]

All of the internationals are represented in downtown Vancouver...like Fairmont (3), Hyatt, Four Seasons, Pan Pacific, Westin (2), Sutton Place, Sheraton, Marriott and Renaissance. The real issue is trying to keep the rate under $200/night during cruise season. All of the above except the Westins are in the heart of the downtown core and less than 8 blocks from Canada Place. This season there have been many posts of cruisers reporting picking up the Sheraton and the Sutton Place for about $135 on Hotwire. I personally have always liked the Hyatt Regency, on Burrard St. just north of Georgia St., it is close to transit and only about 6 blocks to Canada Place; I often refer to it as being at "Center Ice" in Vancouver, you can walk to almost anywhere in the downtown core.

Vancouver is my hometown where I had the good fortune to live all my life until I retired a few years ago and now live up the coast about an hour from the city. I am in the city frequently so please feel free to ask questions. My DW has MS and now needs a walker or a chair so I am quite aware of accessibility.

[nausetms]

Fabulous help, thanks. My DH has MS, too. He's already nervous about traveling cross country and cruising. As we get closer to departure, I'll ask more questions.